The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1887-09-21
ILL LUCK SAVED HIN.

was sitting in one of the many gardens
which Philad phia at that time provided
for the comfort and entertainment of
people who take Their music with beer.
MY attention was attracted to man
about 80 years old, whose appearance
was the nearest approach to the tradi-
tional NAL y of Robert Maeaire that /
lshad eser see1isezL tie sc, net onlittiilg
the blacllened eye. He wandered about
the garden swinging an old umbrella in a
nonchalant way for some time, not ex-
actly oblivious to the strains of Befrens'
admirable orchestra, but in a manner be-
tokening safety of everything common
place, yet still evincing willingness to
endure his surroundings in default of
something more to his taste. watched
his movements for while, and, finally
losing sight of him in the crowd, ordered
..mghtcap" and arose from my chair to
go home. As did SO felt gentle tap
on my shoulder and a well modulated
voice said:
Excuse me, sir; are you believer in
the doctrine of predestination?"
| The question, the man, and his manner
struck me as SO excessively ridiculous
that 1 laughed outright, but recovering
myself replied, You mean, / suppose,
to ask If / believe man who was born
to be hanged can't possibly be drowned. -
Something like that; yes. have a
theory that wasn't born to be drowned,
but we won't discuss the hanging
1--WE won't discuss anything, - said;
'1'm going"
MY dear SIR said the typical Robert
with Chesterfieldian bow, accompanied
by wide and graceful sweep of his UNI
brella, '.that is really too bad. You
should by all means remain and hear my
story, story without a moral. 1t isn't
a ghost story or fairy tale, but true
account of the only piece of good luck /
ever encountered in my life, and that
came about through my losing all my
money Mt faro; hadn't cent left
| The fellow s evident sincerity impressed
me, aud my curiosity to hear his paradox
ical experience grew stronger as 1 gazed
into his imperturbable countenance and
repressed a laugh. had been a sort of
a ..rounder'' for many years, and con-
sidered myself invulnerable to assaults
upon my credulity, SO 1 invited my COM
panion to be seated, resumed my place at
the table, ordered some refreshments,
and told him of my burning anxiety to
be added to his list of victims. Casting
toward me look of injured innocence at
the suggestion of guile conveyed by my
last rcmark, he composed his countenance
| by inserting portion of it into the beer
mug he held in his hand and began his
story:
81 viii not bore you with an account
of my early life, - said he, further than
to say that 1 was born in i'll luck. My
father, whose hopes during few months
prior to my nativity had been set upon
| the pinnacle of desire to be parent to a
daughter, evidently fancied that was
solely responsible for my sex and could
never tolerate me in his presence. AT
| the earliest moment that attained the
age at which l would be received in a
boarding school was sent away from
home and kept away, in school and out,
until was 16 years of age, when I re-
ceiyed from my father the sum of $500
and letter informing me that I must
from that time forward shift for myself.
! shifted. The first thing that did was
to lose the $500, which feat 1 accom-
| plished before leaving the school. have
always thought the janitor took it, but
have never been uncertain of the fact
that didn't take it when left.
My first practical experience in shift
ing for myself was confined to easy
stages of pedestrianism in search of en-
ployment, which 1 obtained on the third
day after my departure from the school
in carpenters shop. 1 had worked
two hours carrying lumber to the plan
ing bench when fell through hole in
the floor into the cellar and broke one of
my legs. This episode dulled the keen
edge of my desire to learn the carpen-
ters' trade, and as soon as was able to
travel set out in quest of an easier, or
at least safer, way of earning a living.
With varying success, but always getting
my hand to almost everything until the
spring of 1861, when the war broke out.
/ was at that time enjoying one of the
brief periods of fair luck that COM
monty succeeded the violent and
protracted paroxysms of i'll fortune
to which 1 was subject and in re-
| quital of my services in assisting to raise
a volunteer company in response to
President Lncoln's call for 75, 600 men /
was commissioned first lieutenant. /
then believed that my star was in the as
cendant, but there was in store for me,
as speedily realized, worse luck than !
had ever before experienced. On the
evening before the day fixed for our de-
parture from the Ohio town in which l
was then living i called to say farewell to
the only girl had ever been able to in
duce to tolerate my attentions and who
had promised to marry me. Fancy my
feelings wien 1 was informed by her
brother who met me at the door that she
had married fellow from Mansfield that
morning and was at that moment on her
way to her new home. 1 rushed away
from the house with full determination
to die On the battlefield, but my perverse
luck irterfercd to prevent even that one
of my desires from arriving at consum-
nation.
"On the following morning my COM
| pany started for Columbus to join the
regiment to which it was attached, and
for awhile warlike enthusiasm took the
place of disappointment and chagrin
within my briast; but the unfaithfulncss
of my sw eetheart was of too recent oc-
currence 70 enable me to Danish the pangs
which seized me, and my arrival at
Columbus WIS Signalized by an unprece-
dented draft upon the alcoholic resources
of the town, resulting in my sojourn in
the g1ardhouse and the loss of my shoul-
der straps. I continued with the regi-
ment as a private, however, having notll-
| ing else to do and being still strong in my
desire to die soldiers death, until the
expiration of my three months term of
enlistment, when 1 re-enlisted for three
years, and served after a subsequent en-
rollment, each time In diffeEent conn
nland, until the close of the war, with
out receiving a scratch.
sgTy T.